Pros and Cons of Camera Security Systems

A home camera security system can be a great deterrent to home break-ins and provide you with recordable video footage of what happens in and around your property. For all of the benefits of a camera setup at home, there are some downsides to it as well. Before you spend the time and money purchasing and installing a home camera security system, you'll want to understand its benefits as well as the costs. You may find the advantages of camera security greatly outweigh the potential disadvantages. The opposite may be true as well.

Advantages of Camera Security

The obvious benefit of camera security at home is that is creates a deterrent to crime. With that as the starting point, the following should also be factored into your decision on the plus side.

Portability

A camera security system is relatively portable. Cameras can be placed just about anywhere provided there is a power supply. Some cameras are so small they can be hidden in plants, pictures or anywhere they won’t be detected.

Evidence Gathering

Just as the mere presence of camera security is enough to deter most criminals from attempting to break in to your home, in the event that the cameras go undetected, the video footage recorded of the intruder can be used as evidence to locate and convict the burglar.

Cost

Cost is both an advantage and a disadvantage of camera security. Oftentimes all that is needed is a fake camera with a red flashing LED inside. Giving the appearance of camera security without actually having a video security system can be a more than adequate crime deterrent. Not only that, but it will hardly cost you anything.

Disadvantages of Camera Security

With advantages come disadvantages that need to be considered as well. They might be considerable enough to make you want to scrap the whole idea of home camera security.

Cost

A real home camera security system can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars depending on the quality and number of cameras and the monitoring system. Having such a system professionally installed requires the setup of the cameras and the wiring of a monitoring station. It can be done on your own, but you must still purchase the components and have some knowledge of wiring.

Vulnerability

A smart intruder could possibly know how to avoid being detected by a camera system. Additionally, a camera system may be vulnerable to disconnection by a tech savvy burglar. If you have a fake camera installed as a deterrent and it is discovered as such, the deterrent could prove wholly useless very fast.

Maintenance

Cameras, if they are powered by batteries, will need to be maintained. The same is true with monitors. Unless you have reason to believe your home has been illegally entered or enjoy keeping your eyes on the video monitor, you may actually have little use for the security system. If the cameras are recording, all of that video data must be stored somewhere, such as on a hard drive, which adds cost and space to the system.

Before deciding to purchase and install a video security system for your home, consider all of the pros and cons associated with it. It may be exactly what you need for your home to guard against intrusion. On the other hand, you may decide it is an enormous waste of money and time.